GHz ?

[TLmac]

This may be a silly ? but I'm asking here b/c of everyone's knowledge on here...I'm learning as I go.

If my HP computer is 1.4 GHz, is that comparable to what a MBA would be, for speed?

I don't like this computer but since it's my newest one, the one thing I do like about it is it seems to be "fast" compared to my 6 1/2 yr old Toshiba laptop (which i don't remember what the speed of that one is but it's definitely slower than this one).

Doesn't RAM also affect the speed? (This one has 4GB)

Thanks

 

[keviig]

This may be a silly ? but I'm asking here b/c of everyone's knowledge on here...I'm learning as I go.

If my HP computer is 1.4 GHz, is that comparable to what a MBA would be, for speed?

I don't like this computer but since it's my newest one, the one thing I do like about it is it seems to be "fast" compared to my 6 1/2 yr old Toshiba laptop (which i don't remember what the speed of that one is but it's definitely slower than this one).

Doesn't RAM also affect the speed? (This one has 4GB)

Thanks

GHz can't be compared unless it's the same CPU. So a 1.4 GHz computer might be alot faster than another 1.4 GHz CPU. The only time you can really count performance increase in GHz is if you overclock.

RAM amount doesn't affect the speed unless you're using all of it (at which point it will have to use the regular memory which is slower). RAM speed can make a difference, but a very small one, which in most cases won't be noticeable.

 

[wct097]

It's hard to compare machines based on clock speed alone. Processor cores, hyperthreading, cache, and architecture will all play a role. The only time you can compare clock speed side by side is when you're talking about two speeds within the same architecture, and even then the cache is likely to be different.

edit: My 2012 Macbook Pro has a 2.6ghz i7 processor, while the current generation Macbook Pro only has a 2.5ghz i7. Mine is a 3rd generation i7 while the current one is a 4th generation i7. The current machine should be faster overall despite having a lower clock speed.

 

[snaky69]

This may be a silly ? but I'm asking here b/c of everyone's knowledge on here...I'm learning as I go.

If my HP computer is 1.4 GHz, is that comparable to what a MBA would be, for speed?

I don't like this computer but since it's my newest one, the one thing I do like about it is it seems to be "fast" compared to my 6 1/2 yr old Toshiba laptop (which i don't remember what the speed of that one is but it's definitely slower than this one).

Doesn't RAM also affect the speed? (This one has 4GB)

Thanks

That's not quite how it works.

A 2.0GHz computer from 10 years ago will be a whole lot slower than a 2.0GHz from today. You cannot compare directly. Such a direct comparison has no longer been useful since about 2004 or 2005.

There are processor architecture differences that account for those differences.

You can only really compare directly between the same generation processors, from the same line, from the same year.

As far as RAM goes, it doesn't affect speed per se. The more of it you have, the more stuff you can have open before you notice a slowdown. But if you don't need more, having more will have no effect on performance.

 

[exizeo]

GHz can't be compared unless it's the same CPU. So a 1.4 GHz computer might be alot faster than another 1.4 GHz CPU. The only time you can really count performance increase in GHz is if you overclock.

RAM amount doesn't affect the speed unless you're using all of it (at which point it will have to use the regular memory which is slower). RAM speed can make a difference, but a very small one, which in most cases won't be noticeable.

Even then it is not a linear increase. I OC'd my i7-4790@3.6 (turbo 4.0) to 4.0 (turbo 4.4) through BClik, then locked it to 4.4 through multiplier. I doubt that was a 20% performance boost (maybe normal multiplier OC with baseclock adjustments are different?).

 

[steveyo]

This may be a silly ? but I'm asking here b/c of everyone's knowledge on here...I'm learning as I go.

If my HP computer is 1.4 GHz, is that comparable to what a MBA would be, for speed?

I don't like this computer but since it's my newest one, the one thing I do like about it is it seems to be "fast" compared to my 6 1/2 yr old Toshiba laptop (which i don't remember what the speed of that one is but it's definitely slower than this one).

Doesn't RAM also affect the speed? (This one has 4GB)

Thanks

What is the model number of the HP computer?

GHz doesn't mean as much now compared to the past

 

[keviig]

Even then it is not a linear increase. I OC'd my i7-4790@3.6 (turbo 4.0) to 4.0 (turbo 4.4) through BClik, then locked it to 4.4 through multiplier. I doubt that was a 20% performance boost (maybe normal multiplier OC with baseclock adjustments are different?).

It's not a linear increase, but not far from it.
The 2500k in my desktop computer is OC'd from 3,3GHz (3,7GHz turbo) to constant 4,7GHz, which is a 27% increase from the turbo clocks. And i am seeing anywhere between 25% and 30% increase in power depending on the application.